Transcript figure 4-1
FIGURE 4-1 All complete circuits must have a power source, a power path, protection (fuse), an electrical load
(light bulb in this case), and a return path back to the power source.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-2 The return path back to the battery can be any electrical conductor, such as the metal frame or body
of the vehicle.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-3 An electrical switch opens the circuit and no current flows. The switch could also be on the return
(ground) path wire.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-4 Examples of common causes of open circuits. Some of these causes are often difficult to find.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-5 A short circuit permits electrical current to bypass some or all of the resistance in the circuit.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-6 A fuse or circuit breaker opens the circuit to prevent possible overheating damage in the event of a
short circuit.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-7 A short-to-ground affects the power side of the circuit. Current flows directly to the ground return,
bypassing some or all of the electrical loads in the circuit. There is no current in the circuit pass the short.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-8 Electrical flow through a circuit is similar to water flowing over a waterwheel. The more the water
(amperes in electricity), the greater the amount of work (waterwheel). The amount of water remains constant, yet
the pressure (voltage in electricity) drops as the current flows through the circuit.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-9 To calculate one unit of electricity when the other two are known, simply use your finger and cover
the unit you do not know. For example, if both voltage (E) and resistance (R) are known, cover the
letter/(amperes). Notice that the letter E is above the letter R, so divide the resistor’s value into the voltage to
determine the current in the circuit.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-10 This closed circuit includes a power source, power-side wire, circuit protection (fuse), resistance
(bulb), and return path wire.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-11 To calculate one unit when the other two are known, simply cover the unknown unit to see what unit
needs to be divided or multiplied to arrive at the solution.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
FIGURE 4-12 “Magic circle” of most of the formulas for problems involving Ohm’s law. Each quarter of the “pie”
has formulas used to solve for a particular unknown value: current (amperes), in the upper right segment;
resistance (ohms), in the lower right; voltage (E), in the lower left; and power (watts), in the upper left.
Automotive Electricity and Electronics, 2/e
By James D Halderman
© 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Prentice Hall - Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458